Jigawa secures $37m IDB loan to propel irrigation
The Jigawa state government says it has secured $37.373 million facility from Islamic Development Bank (IDB) to propel irrigation, livestock production and provide more farming facilities.
Governor Muhammad Badaru made this known to newsmen shortly after inauguration of the state Agricultural Integrated Rural Development Programme in Dutse.
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Gov. Badaru said that the scheme, which is aimed at improving economic activities in the state is expected create direct and indirect employment opportunities to about two million people.
“We will support Micro Finance Banks in all the 27 local government areas to enable farmers’ access loans in an affordable rate.
“I am optimistic that, if we fully implement the policy documents of the loan over two million of Jigawa citizens will be taken out of abject poverty,” he said.
The governor however, said that the facility would help his administration to consolidate on its achievement in agricultural sector, adding that part of the money would be used for the rehabilitation and development of 6,000 hectares for irrigation.
He said that when these hectares were fully cultivated as planned, the production output was expected to increase rice production with more than 30,000 tonnes in the state annually.
Part of the loan, the governor explained would be used to enhance productivity and value chain across the agricultural sector, assuring that his administration would embark on demarcation of cattle routes, thereby improving grazing reserves with the construction of wind mills, solar boreholes to improve posturing for the cattle.
Gov. Badaru said that government would also embark on capacity building of at least 200 medium and large scale fish farmers and rehabilitation of 27 skills acquisition centres, among others.
He said in addition, the loan would also be used to improve 15 markets, construct two store in each local government for storing agricultural produce and for the construction of road networks to link major agricultural producing centres with markets.
